Agent confirms West Ham, QPR and Wolves were chasing Obbi Oulare this summer

On Transfer Deadline Day Watford were busy in the market, with one of their signings the talented Belgian giant Obbi Oulare. The Belgium under-21 international was snapped up by The Hornets for a fee reported by The Daily Mail to be in the region of £6 million.

The 6ft 5in 19-year-old has been compared to Liverpool striker Christian Benteke by many and it is hoped he will be a star at Vicarage Road in the future.

But he could have ended up elsewhere.

Oulare was linked with several other English clubs and now football agent Stijn Haeldermans, who was involved in the deal, has confirmed that QPR, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers were also interested in the player this summer. He is quoted by Voetbal Nieuws as stating:

"Yes [QPR, West Ham and Wolves were interested]. There were several clubs that, given the high asking price, Obbi wanted to loan him. With a purchase option from Watford, who followed him for months, he was immediately able to realize a permanent transfer."

QPR might have been looking for a new striker with the transfer links to Charlie Austin leaving the club. West Ham were after a new striker this summer, eventually bringing Nikica Jelavic to the club. Wolves on the other hand needed a new striker after a serious injury suffered by Nouha Dicko.

However Watford will be happy to have Oulare ahead of their English rivals and will hope he can prove himself in the Premier League.

Mathew Nash

I’m Mathew Nash a 27 year old graduate in Sports Studies and I have an insatiable love for sport. With a particularly keen interest for the madcap world of football I have always been known amongst friends as a beacon for bizarre sporting trivia and knowledge. My other passion is for writing and hopefully combining the two will create a superb and entertaining marriage that will create, divide and share opinion.Mathew is a correspondent for the NextGen Series, Ligue 1 and Primeira Liga.